England, Scotland & Wales (2012)

London • Cotswolds • Snowdonia • York • Lake District Area • Edinburgh
  • 14 days
  • from only:
  • $2195
  • $157 per day
    Land Tour Only
  • 15 days
  • from only:
  • $3195
  • $213 per dayIncludes international airfare and government taxes
BSC map 2012
IN THIS SECTION:
Photos From Our Travelers
Detailed Itinerary
What Makes This Trip Unique
It's Included
Featured Accommodations
Pre- & Post-Trip Extensions
London, England
Scottish Highlands
Optional Tours
Local Team & Insider Tips
Know Before You Go
Your Travel Handbook
Air information
LearnMore
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Customize your trip

Learn how to customize your vacation, or view standard air routing and travel times. The choice is yours with our True Choice program.

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Customize your trip

With our True Choice Program, you can choose to stay longer before or after your trip on your own, or combine two vacations to maximize your value. Here are more ways to create the Grand Circle vacation that’s right for you:

  • Choose our standard air routing, or work with us to select the airline and routing you prefer
  • Make your own international flight arrangements directly with the airline, applying frequent flyer miles if available
  • Stay overnight in a connecting city before or after your trip
  • Request to arrive a few days early to get a fresh start on your vacation
  • Choose to “break away” before or after your trip, spending additional days or weeks on your own
  • Extend your vacation with our optional pre- and post-trip extensions
  • Combine your choice of Grand Circle vacations to maximize your value
  • Upgrade to business or premium economy class

The air options listed above will involve an additional fee of $100 per person for confirmed requests (as well as incremental airfare costs based on your specific choice). This service fee will be waived for Inner Circle/Sir Edmund Hillary Club members.

Or, when you make your reservation, you can choose our standard air routing, for which approximate travel times are shown below.

GATEWAY

TRAVEL TIME*

Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit

8hrs

Boston, Newark, New York (JFK), Washington, DC (Dulles)

7hrs

Dallas, Denver, Miami, Minneapolis, Orlando

9hrs

Los Angeles

13hrs

Phoenix, Seattle

10hrs

San Francisco

11hrs

* Estimated total time, including connection and layover. Actual travel time may vary.

The information above reflects approximate flight times from the gateway cities listed to London, England. Routing is based on availability and subject to change. You will receive your final air itinerary approximately 14 days prior to departure.

REFER and EARN

Earn increasing rewards as a Vacation Ambassador

REFER and EARN as a Vacation Ambassador with
the BEST referral program in the industry

Inspiring new travelers to join the Grand Circle family is a rewarding experience—both for you and your new travelers.

Share your love of travel with others and, for each referral who embarks on a Grand Circle trip, you will earn $100 in CASH or credit. With your 4th referral departing on a 2012 departure, your reward increases to $200 in CASH or credit per person. And once you refer 8 travelers departing in either 2012 or 2013, you'll earn a FREE trip valued up to $4,500 per household—which will bring the total value of your earned rewards up to $5,600.

And you are also passing along savings to your new traveler: We'll instantly deduct $100 off the cost of their reservation when they mention your name and Customer Number while reserving.

To learn more about the benefits of our Vacation Ambassador Referral Program, please call us toll-free at 1-800-221-2610
or click here.

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Pre-Trip: London, England

3 nights from only $695
GCT

Begin your discoveries in London, the bustling, historic capital of England. An included two-day London Transport Pass will give you easy access to the city’s “Tube” (subway) and buses, bringing you to all corners of the city—enjoying sites like the Royal Albert Hall or the British Museum.

Single Supplement: FREE.

Please note: This extension may not be available on all departures. Ask your Travel Counselor for details.

It's Included

  • Accommodations for 3 nights in London at the Superior First-Class London Lancaster Hotel or similar
  • 3 meals: 3 breakfasts
  • Included tour: Hampton Court Palace & Gardens
  • 2-day London Transport Pass
  • Exclusive services of a Hospitality Desk representative
  • All transfers
Day 1
Depart U.S.

Depart the U.S. today on your flight to London. Please refer to your individual air itinerary for exact departure and arrival times.
Day 2
Arrive in London, England

Arrive throughout the day in London, England. You'll be met at the airport and accompanied to our hotel, where you are invited to join your Hospitality Desk representative for an orientation walk of the area around your hotel.
Day 3
London/Hampton Court Palace & Gardens tour

This morning, enjoy an included visit to the Hampton Court Palace and Gardens, exploring at own pace using their audio equipment. Hampton Court was leased by Cardinal Wolsey in 1514, and he began rebuilding and converting it into a lavish palace. Hampton Court became a royal residence when it was turned over to Henry VIII in 1529. A pair of magnificent public rooms remains from Henry’s reign: the Great Hall and the Chapel Royal, still a place of worship today. The practical side of royal life is represented by the enormous Tudor Kitchens, the most extensive surviving 16th-century kitchens in Europe, where meals for 1,000 people were once prepared daily. The palace is home to one of the greatest collections of Renaissance paintings in England, housed in the Wolsey Rooms and the Renaissance Picture Gallery. The buildings cover six acres, and there are also more than 60 acres of gardens.

The Hampton Court Gardens are a fascinating mix of 500 years of royal gardening history. Originally agricultural land, Cardinal Wolsey created the first gardens; but Henry VIII established the overall structure of the gardens—much as they exist today. Among others, the gardens feature a Privy Garden (the King’s private garden, recently restored to its 1702 state with period-era plantings), the Knot, Pond, and Great Fountain Gardens. The Northern Gardens feature a 1702 maze. Here you’ll also find the Great Vine—a vine planted in 1768 by Lancelot “Capability” Brown, which is the oldest known vine in the world. It still produces more than 500 pounds of grapes each year.

This afternoon and evening, use your included London Transport Pass to make your own discoveries.
Day 4
London/Explore at leisure

The day is yours to explore London on your own using your included London Transport Pass. Perhaps you’ll journey to Buckingham Palace to view the official residence of Her Majesty, the Queen. Or you might explore the exhibits at one of London’s many museums. The vast collection of the National Portrait Gallery, near Trafalgar Square, includes the famous Chandos portrait of William Shakespeare. The Tate Britain offers an extraordinary range of five centuries of British art. The Tate Modern features contemporary art, with changing installations that make headlines around the world.

The Royal Albert Hall was inspired by the early works of the Romans. This large amphitheater is home to some of the world's finest concerts and musical events, and is a true English monument. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone for the Royal Albert Hall in 1867 in memory of her late husband, Prince Albert.

Or, perhaps you'll visit the Victoria and Albert Museum, a spacious building full of art galleries and artistic displays. Some of the country's great artistic treasures are here. Entry to the museum is free, as is entry to the adjacent National History Museum and Science Museum, both of which are well worth a visit.

Another interesting site is Kensington Palace, built for joint monarchs William and Mary, and once home to Princess Diana and Princess Margaret.
Day 5
London/Begin main trip

This morning, after breakfast at your hotel, you'll join fellow travelers arriving for your England, Scotland & Wales Escorted Tour.